Funding Boost for Brighton's Madeira Terrace Restoration

Brighton & Hove City Council is leading a multimillion-pound project which will see the restoration of the first 28 arches and bays, between the Madeira Shelter Hall and the Royal Crescent Steps, and a new, fully accessible lift installed.

The much-loved Grade II* listed Victorian landmark is thought to be the longest continuous cast-iron structure in Britain and possibly the world. It comprises 151 ornate arches and bays stretching an impressive 865 metres.

The original set piece of 69 arches is the earliest section of the Terrace and date back to 1890. The first phase of the project will see 40% of the arches in the original set piece restored.

Chris Ward, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, has welcomed the additional grant aid, now totalling almost £1 million in public funding.

This grant follows the £750,000 awarded by Historic England in 2024 and will contribute to the testing and re-use of as much of the original cast iron as possible.

Cast iron repair innovation

Specialists from Cast Iron Welding Services continue their meticulous work repairing the several hundred cast iron components that make up this first phase. They previously restored the Victoria Fountain on the Old Steine and have also undertaken repairs of the seafront Victorian street lamps. However, it is thought this is the first time in the world that this technology has been deployed to repair structural cast iron, hence the need for extensive testing.

By focusing on the repair and reuse of cast iron where possible, the project is avoiding the release of carbon emissions associated with recasting. It will also preserve the craftsmanship and embodied carbon represented by the original ironwork.

The casting of iron typically generates about 8 tonnes of CO₂ emissions for every tonne of cast iron created. An approach of repair rather than replacement is expected to result in less than an eighth of this. Across the whole structure, this is equivalent to the carbon cost of powering over 2,000 homes for a year, based on average UK household emissions.

Cast Iron Welding Services also supports the survival of a highly skilled trade; they are sharing their knowledge through apprenticeships, training up the next generation to keep vital heritage skills alive.

Progress update

The first sections of the structural cast iron have returned to the seafront from the specialist foundry. Assembly of the cast iron skeleton is now well underway in preparation for the installation of a new concrete deck.

Elsewhere on the site, the new lift structure has started to take shape behind its protective wrapping. Soon this will be removed to reveal the brick ‘skin’, made up of more than 20,000 bricks, and the glazed ‘lantern’. The works to install the new lift car will commence shortly.

Historic England’s co-CEO Emma Squire is set to visit Brighton on Tuesday 9 June to see the progress made at Madeira Terrace and understand the opportunities and challenges facing Brighton’s heritage.